Nottingham's Jermaine Pennant has opened up on a "life-changing" diagnosis on ITV Good Morning Britain. The former Liverpool star appeared on the morning programme and explained how he had been diagnosed with Attention Deficit HyperActivity Disorder (ADHD).
The ex winger, who also played for Arsenal as a fresh-faced teenager, was diagnosed in September. The star reckons the diagnosis has helped him understand the issues he has faced. He said: "It is life changing because I would ask myself so many questions over the years. Why do I leave destruction in my path?"
Jermaine, who was born in The Meadows area, continued: "How have I got myself in certain situations. I just thought it was down to me being a lunatic or just not well or having serious issues. Not actually identify what they were so I was just round in the circles making the same mistake and telling myself I know I'm not a bad person, but why am I doing this?"
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Jermaine was diagnosed in his late-thirties and spoke to Kate Garraway on Friday's edition of the show. Jermaine added: "You take risks, you have no consideration of danger, you have no consequences, you are forgetful, when you are stressed you will seek any validation that will put you any danger. I was going round and round in circles after mistake after mistake."
Kate asked what getting the diagnosis had meant for his life, with the footballer replying to her: "There's no excuse. It doesn't work like that for me. If you go to the beginning, you either get ADHD as a child, through trauma, or genetically, through a family.
"I had a troubled childhood. Mine was a way to survive as a kid - it made me survive. You can zone out or you can zone in. Mine was to zone into football, because that saved me. But as an adult, it flips and it turns negative. It turns to destruction."
Delving into the condition, GMB's Dr Amir Khan, said: "The problem for anyone who's an adult is getting the diagnosis and the length of time they're waiting. If I refer a patient for ADHD symptoms they could be waiting 2-3 years before they even see anyone."
The ADHD Foundation reports a 400 per cent rise in adults seeking a diagnosis.
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